Walid Regragui addresses PSG tension over Achraf Hakimi

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has downplayed reports of friction between the Moroccan national team and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) over the management of Achraf Hakimi’s playing time, insisting that relations between both parties remain strong and professional.

Hakimi, one of PSG’s standout performers during the 2024–25 season, played a pivotal role as the French champions clinched five domestic and continental trophies, in addition to finishing runners-up at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States last July.

Regragui confirmed that he maintains a healthy working relationship with PSG and coach Luis Enrique concerning Hakimi’s workload, noting that the right-back remains an indispensable figure for both club and country.

“Our relationship with Paris Saint-Germain is very good,” Regragui told Foot Mercato. “We reached an agreement regarding Hakimi’s participation in the Olympic Games (Paris 2024), and we made sure he had a period of rest. PSG are managing his situation well.”

Hakimi has enjoyed a busy calendar year. He featured in eight of PSG’s opening ten matches this season, completing seven full games. Internationally, he helped Morocco beat Niger 5–0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September before being rested against Zambia days later. This month, he featured in the 1–0 friendly win over Bahrain and the 1–0 qualifier victory against Congo.

Regragui, who guided Morocco to a historic fourth-place finish at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is now preparing the Atlas Lions for the 2026 edition, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Atlas Lions were the first African team to secure qualification, topping Group 5 with a flawless record — eight straight wins, 22 goals scored, and just two conceded — amassing 24 points. Morocco finished ahead of Niger (15 points), Tanzania (10), Zambia (9), and Congo (1), while Eritrea withdrew from the qualifiers.

Hakimi, recently appointed team captain, continues to cement his legacy as one of Morocco’s modern greats. Since making his international debut in October 2016 under then-coach Hervé Renard, now in charge of Saudi Arabia, the 26-year-old has amassed 88 caps, scoring 11 goals and registering 15 assists.

His international résumé includes 29 friendly matches, 19 AFCON qualifiers, 17 World Cup qualifiers, 13 Africa Cup of Nations appearances, and 10 World Cup matches across the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Notably, Hakimi was part of the Moroccan team that captured the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, thrashing Egypt 6–0 in the third-place playoff.

Meanwhile, in the French Ligue 1, PSG continue their dominant run. After seven rounds, the Parisians sit atop the table with 16 points, narrowly ahead of Marseille, Strasbourg, and Lyon (15 points each). Monaco and Lens follow closely with 13 points, while Lille sit seventh with 11. At the opposite end, Angers (5 points) and Metz (2 points) occupy the relegation spots.